Poll Watch: Rasmussen Georgia 2012 Republican Primary Survey

Rasmussen Georgia 2012 GOP Primary Poll

• Newt Gingrich 33%
• Rick Santorum 28%
• Mitt Romney 20%
• Ron Paul 9%
• Some other candidate 2%
• Undecided 8%

Among Very Conservative Voters

• Newt Gingrich 41%
• Rick Santorum 35%
• Mitt Romney 14%

Among Somewhat Conservative Voters

• Newt Gingrich 35%
• Rick Santorum 24%
• Mitt Romney 24%

Among Tea Party Members

• Newt Gingrich 40%
• Rick Santorum 33%
• Mitt Romney 12%

Note: Republicans who say they are not members of the grass roots movement prefer Gingrich, too, but by a much narrower margin.

Are you certain you will vote for that candidate or is it possible that something come up that causes you to change your mind?

• Certain 49%
• Could change mind 43%

Note: Those certain of their vote include 90% of Gingrich supporters, 88% of Santorum voters, 77% of Paul’s backers and 76% of Romney’s.

Which Republican presidential candidate would be the strongest opponent against Barack Obama in the general election?

• Mitt Romney 32%
• Newt Gingrich 31%
• Rick Santorum 20%
• Ron Paul 6%

Regardless of who you want to win, who do you think will win the Republican presidential nomination?

• Mitt Romney 54%
• Rick Santorum 21%
• Newt Gingrich 12%

Survey of 750 likely Republican primary voters was conducted February 22, 2012.  The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points.

Inside the numbers:

Gingrich leads among Evangelical Christians and other Protestants. He and Santorum are tied among Catholics. Republicans of other faiths in the state support the top three candidates evenly.

Gingrich leads among both male and female voters in Georgia.

Seventy percent (70%) think Romney is at least somewhat likely to beat Obama. Sixty percent (60%) feel Gingrich is likely to beat the president, and nearly as many (59%) say the same of Santorum. Just 21% believe Paul is likely to defeat the incumbent.

Santorum is viewed favorably by 70% of Georgia Republicans, while 64% share a favorable opinion of Gingrich. Fifty-nine percent (59%) view Romney favorably, but just 40% say the same of Paul.